Apple took to the stage at its By Innovation Only event to announce a whole host of new devices, many at surprisingly low prices – but is it all as affordable as it seems?
It seems rare that we have a Winners and Losers column free of Google or Facebook, but the two take a back seat this week as the spotlight falls solely on Apple.
While positive responses to the new iPhone and Apple Watch flooded social media, Apple continued to avoid addressing the pound-sign-shaped elephant in the room – the iPhone pricing here in the UK.
Winner: Apple
Tuesday was arguably the biggest day of the year for Apple and the keynote was packed with exciting releases and equally excited customers.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the iPhone 11 was the star of the show this week. From sensors to slofies, Apple fans drank up every word the company had to say about the iPhone at the launch, and they weren’t disappointed.
Apple unveiled three iPhones this year and they all look pretty nice. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max were unveiled along with all the latest specs, and the standout feature was definitely the camera, which features extra sensors, Deep Fusion, slow-motion selfies and Night Mode for low-light snaps.
The Apple Watch introduced a highly requested always-on display, with a battery-saving variable refresh rate, and stepped into the medical field with new Emergency Call features to detect falls and heart problems, even without an iPhone connected.
Loser: Apple’s UK customers
Apple surprised everyone when the iPhone 11 base model debuted at a lower price than its predecessor. The 2019 smartphone is a whopping £70 less than the iPhone XR was at its release – a discount absolutely nobody saw coming given the significant rise in smartphone prices over the years.
However, the excitement was short-lived for customers here in the UK, as Apple was spotted raising prices for the new iPhone even higher than it usually does.
While Apple’s smartphone has always set customers back a bit more here than it does across the pond, the company has taken that price difference to all new lengths this year. The iPhone 11 is priced at $699 in the US, which would usually signal a slightly steeper £699 price tag in the UK. However, British iPhone users will be disappointed to hear that they’ll be paying a premium for the handset this year at £729 to the US’s $699 – that’s over £100 more than customers in Apple’s home country.
Thankfully, there was some reprieve for our wallets in the midst of the announcements. Apple Arcade is looking surprisingly affordable at $4.99 a month and the company is basically giving away free Apple TV Plus subscriptions, with a year of TV being handed out with just about any Apple Store purchase.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
